The Poor Planners’ Guide to Last-Minute Thanksgiving Reservations

Thanksgiving is practically here. The holiday is just three days away, and you’re probably here because you’re staying in the city and forgot to think about what to do. Lucky for you, there’s no reason to fret. Grub has done the work of finding out which top-tier restaurants still have reservations available (but as always, things book up, so move quick). Consider this your guide to having a special meal on the holiday — without having to actually do any planning.

Ai FioriAvailability: For parties of two and six, there are lot of tables from as early as noon to after 8 p.m. Parties of six can still find tables from noon to 1:30 p.m.Price: Lunch is three courses for $85 or four courses for $100; dinner is four courses for $100 with wine pairings at $70 and $120On the Menu: The restaurant will give the holiday an Italian touch, with appetizers such as octopus with sweet potato caponata, pastas like duck ravioli with cherry gastrique, and entrées including turkey with sage stuffing and cranberry jus. Dessert options include cheesecake with caramelized apple and a brown-butter squash semifreddo.

AldeaAvailability: For parties of two, there are tables available from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Parties of four have more choices, with tables still up for grabs from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.Price: Three courses for $85 or $50 for children 12 or under; wine pairing is $45On the Menu: George Mendes’s first restaurant is doing Thanksgiving the Portuguese way, serving mussel soup with chorizo; mushrooms with Benton’s bacon; salt cod with white-corn pudding; and a classic turkey plate. Dessert is strictly traditional: pumpkin biscuit cake, fried apple pie, and ice creams.

Bar BouludAvailability: Parties of two or four can still get a table around lunchtime. Price: Three courses for $70On the Menu: The Upper West Side restaurant’s prix fixe features dishes like a smoked salmon crêpe mille-feuille; beef-tartare tartine; roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and cranberry relish; bavette steak; and spiced pumpkin custard.

Birds and BubblesAvailability: There are still tons of reservations for parties of two, four, and six all day long. Price: $65 for family-style prix fixeOn the Menu: The champagne and fried-chicken spot will keep it Southern with a family-style menu of pimento cheese with brown crackers, herb-roasted turkey, buttermilk biscuits, and banana pudding. Double down on bird with a fried-chicken supplement for another $9.

The CecilAvailability: There are still tables for two at 1 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.Price: $65 for three coursesOn the Menu: If you’re in Harlem and looking for lunch, head to the fusion “Afro-Asian-American” restaurant for oxtail dumplings with green-apple curry, palm-sugar-brined turkey with braised greens and giblet gravy, poussin yassa with coconut sticky rice, and pumpkin potpie.

Chef’s ClubAvailability: There are a decent amount of tables for two and four left between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., with a few left for parties of six as well.Price: $75 for three coursesOn the menu: You’ll get your choice of chestnut soup with Parmesan or roasted squash salad, with an entrée of roasted turkey with sides like green beans and mashed potatoes, and pies from Four and Twenty Blackbirds for dessert.

CovinaAvailability: There are still lots of tables for parties of two or four from noon to 3 p.m., as well as during dinner from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.Price: $65 per personOn the Menu: The California-style restaurant will keep its prix fixe classic with dishes like buttered peas with pearl onions, mashed potatoes, and roast turkey with fennel-sausage stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce.

Dirty FrenchAvailability: There are tables for two and four available from the early afternoon through prime hours during the evening, and tables for six during the late morning through afternoon.Price: $95 for three coursesOn the Menu: At Major Food Group’s French-ish restaurant, you’ll start your meal with hors d’oeuvres like tuna tartare with crêpe indochine, get an entrée of roast turkey with sides like stuffing and mashed potato, and finish with pecan pie, pumpkin cheesecake, and apple tatin.

Eastfield’sAvailability: There are tables for two and four available pretty much all throughout service, which is 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.Price: $65 for three coursesOn the Menu: Choose from starters like cauliflower gratin and wild mushroom risotto with anise mascarpone and entrée including turkey with chestnut ragu and roast artic char with parsnip puree. Sides for the table include green beans and crispy shallots, while desert means pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and chocolate cake.

FreudAvailability: It’s open season for tables of two, four, and six, and you can book a reservation pretty whenever you want.Price: $69 for three coursesOn the Menu: The Austrian restaurant’s special menu includes shrimp cocktail and a traditional Caesar salad, entrée including spätzle with braised kale and turkey with stuffing, and apple strudel or pumpkin pie for dessert.

HousemanAvailability: There are still lots of tables for two and four available throughout service, as well as a couple at 1:15 and 1:30 for 6.Price: $85 or $45 for children under 10 for three coursesOn the Menu: At the American restaurant in Tribeca, they’re serving triple liver mousse, turkey with roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet white potatoes, and apple or pecan pie for dessert. There are add-ons, too.

Indian AccentAvailability: Parties of two can still get in between 2 and 5:30 p.m.Price: $95 for four coursesOn the Menu: The Mumbai import will serve a sweet-potato chaat, its excellent pickled pork, turkey stuffed with paneer, and sides like tandoori turkey kulcha. Dessert will be along the lines of caramelized pecan rice pudding.

La SirenaAvailability: There are reservations for parties of two, four, and six pretty much all day long, from the morning through the evening. Price: $75 for four coursesOn the menu: The hotel restaurant from Mario Batali is serving a prix fixe with appetizers like roasted acorn squash with smoked ricotta, pastas like pumpkin agnolotti, and entrees including turkey with cranberry mostarda and grilled lamb chops with chickpea flour fritters. Sides like cauliflower carbonara are an additional $9 each, and dessert means an apple torta, pine-nut tart, ice cream, or pumpkin cheesecake.

MeadowsweetAvailability: There are still some tables for two and four available at 2 and 3:45 p.m. Price: $85 for three coursesOn the Menu: In Williamsburg, they’ll serve squash-and-chestnut bisque, filet mignon with onion jam, roasted and braised turkey, and devil’s food cake.

NarcissaAvailability: There are some tables for two still available from noon to 4 p.m., and tables for four from 12:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.Price: $79 for prix fixe or $125 for prix fixe for parties of six or moreOn the Menu: If you want a more vegetable-heavy meal, head here for porcini soup, carrots wellington, grilled short rib, a classic turkey, and sides like sourdough sausage stuffing.

SauvageAvailability: There are a good amount of tables still available for parties of two and four from around 1 p.m until 9:30 p.m, but not a lot during prime dinner time. They will accept walk-ins at the bar.Price: $65 for three coursesOn the Menu: The handsome sequel to Williamsburg’s Maison Premiere will offer butternut-squash velouté with chestnut and crab, venison tartare with pickled beets, turkey with sourdough harvest stuffing, and hazelnut cake.

VaucluseAvailability: There are still a good amount of tables for parties of two, four, and six available during the early afternoon.Price: $99 for three coursesOn the Menu: Michael White will keep it French on the Upper East Side, with rabbit-and-Reblochon cheese ravioli, mains like turkey with pain perdu stuffing, and hazelnut-crusted sea bass. Dessert, of course, means fall flavors like a pumpkin tart, gâteau au chocolat, or apple galette.

WallséAvailability: There are tables for two available all day long, and a few tables for four during the early afternoon and from 7:15 through 9 p.m.Price: $65 for three coursesOn the Menu: You’ll have your choice of warm smoked salmon with pears, roasted beets with caraway, or chestnut soup with Viennese mélange to start. Go American with roast turkey with brioche dumplings or German with Wiener schnitzel for your entrée, then finish with one of four desserts including apple strudel.